Aromatherapy and Music Impact on Nurses' Stress at Work
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- Northwestern University
- Enrollment
- 25
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Measure of workplace stress
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice research project is to determine if nurses who receive chamomile-lavender aromatherapy and listen to music during a 20-minute break once per shift for 8 weeks, will experience report decreased work stress (measured by self-reported symptoms of anxiety) compared to before the aromatherapy and music intervention during breaks.
The investigators know nurses are at high risk for stress and anxiety. Despite the current processes and policies in place at Northwestern Memorial Hospital that support nurses to take breaks during their shifts, nurses continue to share feeling stressed and anxious. Included in this Doctor of Nursing Practice research project is an evidence synthesis of fourteen studies supporting the idea that combining aromatherapy and music can reduce anxiety in both adults and children.
The evidence-based intervention being studied is administering lavender-chamomile essential oil aromatherapy and listening to music during 20-minute non-meal breaks once a shift for 8 weeks. Participants will go to a quiet breakroom, pour 3 drops of lavender-chamomile essential oil onto a non-adhesive 2X2 gauze pad, and place the pad about 20 centimeters from their noses while also listening to their preferred calming music through their personal phones and wireless earbuds or headphones for twenty minutes.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •CCU nurses at NM AMC providing direct patient care.
Exclusion Criteria
- •currently pregnant
- •allergic to essential oils
Arms & Interventions
Aromatherapy and music
Nurses employed on a critical care unit at an academic medical center will self-administer lavender-chamomile aromatherapy oil and listen to music of choice on earphones during their scheduled 20-minute rest break during work hours.
Intervention: lavender-chamomile aromatherapy oil and music (Other)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Measure of workplace stress
Time Frame: The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be given before the intervention begins. After the 10 week intervention period, the participants will be asked to complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory again as a post-intervention measure.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to measure workplace stress. Scores on this tool range from a total of 0 to 63. There are 21 items and each item can receive a score of 0 to 3. Higher scores are associated with higher stress/anxiety.
stress
Time Frame: The intervention time period is 10 weeks.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to assess levels of workplace stress before and after this intervention.
Measure of workplace stress
Time Frame: The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be given before the intervention begins. At week 10, after the 8-week intervention period, the participants will be asked to complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory again as a post-intervention measure.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to measure workplace stress. Scores on this tool range from a total of 0 to 63. There are 21 items and each item can receive a score of 0 to 3. Higher scores are associated with higher stress/anxiety.
stress
Time Frame: The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be given before the intervention begins. At week 10, after the 8-week intervention period, the participants will be asked to complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory again as a post-intervention measure.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to assess levels of workplace stress before and after this intervention.
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Angela Maeder
Nurse Scientist
Northwestern University